India’s BKT is exhibiting its latest high speed crane and forklift tyres at Tyrexpo Asia 2013. The 445/95 R25 Airomax AM27 pattern for high speed crane fitments and the Maglift STF solid range for forklift trucks debuted at the show, along with the recently introduced Container King 18.00-25 tyre popular in Asian ports.
Dutch OTR tyre manufacturer Magna Tyres Group has announced details of a “strategic relationship” with wholesaler Interpneu. Beginning in April 2013 the agreement is described as “an important step” in introducing and building the Magna brand in Germany. Based in Waalwijk, Netherlands Magna says it is seeking to expand having manufactured compounds for three decades.
Tesco of America – no relation to the UK-based retail giant – has signed an exclusive service parts, support and sales agreement with Italmatic. Under the agreement, Tesco of America will serve as representative for the Italian firm’s truck, OTR and passenger car tyre retreading equipment in the US, Central America, South America and the Caribbean regions.
Infinity Tyres Europe has announced a new distribution partnership covering Greece and several other southern European markets with the Athens-based Saracakis Group. The deal covers PCR, TBR, OTR and agricultural product lines. Saracakis has almost 100 years’ experience in the automotive business and today supports long-standing distribution agreements with Honda, Mitsubishi, Volvo and Komatsu amongst many other world-class brands.
The use of recycled tyre rubber in the production of new tyres hasn’t really taken off yet, and a main reason for this is because the rubber powder produced by traditional recycling methods doesn’t always reach the level of purity required by new tyre makers – indeed, the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association opines that “while in the EU around 39 per cent of material from end of life tyres is recovered [this includes rubber, but also steel and fabric], recycled materials cannot be used as a substitute for natural rubber in new tyres because of technical limitations.” But now a firm in Hungary claims to have perfected a process that removes every last trace of steel from the rubber powder, thereby overcoming this limitation. Speaking with Tyres & Accessories during February’s Tire Technology Expo in Germany, Gábor Kostyál, CEO of HungaroJet Ltd., described the technology involved and how it can benefit the tyre and rubber industry.
Schrader is partnering with Fuller Brothers, the manufacturer of the Tire Life tyre and rim protection product, in order to distribute Schrader’s complete Off-The-Road (OTR) range. The partnership was formally announced at the 2013 Tire Industry Association OTR Conference held from 20-23 February 2013 in Puerto Rico.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe has appointed Leszek Szafran as Director Retread Operations Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He will take over the position from Hubert Moquet, who retires after more than 34 years’ service with the company.
Apollo Vredestein is launching two new product lines this week at one of Europe's largest agricultural exhibitions, SIMA 2013 in Paris. The company is displaying the new Vredestein Greentrax for lawn and ground care equipment and new Apollo tyres for industrial and construction machinery. The Greentrax range will be available from March 2013, while the new Apollo tyres will be introduced by the end of the month. This is a significant step for Apollo, since the new products represent the launch of the Apollo brand in the industrial sector in Europe.
Goodyear has reported that its fourth quarter 2012 sales amounted to $5 billion, down 11 per cent from 2011. According to the company, the drop reflects $338 million in lower tyre unit volumes, $221 million in lower sales in other tyre related businesses and $85 million in foreign exchange effects. It is worth pointing out that although tyre unit volumes totalled 40 million, this is generally down 7 per cent compared with 2011. And what’s more Goodyear reported that this primarily reflects lower volumes in Europe.
A report recently released by the United States International Trade Commission gives an overview of the country’s retreading industry, a sector within the tyre business that appears to be benefitting from an improving US economy and a supply-demand imbalance within the new tyre sector.
Several media outlets plus supporting information from Tyres & Accessories’ own sources are reporting that at least two private equity firms are preparing considering bids for Warburg Pincus LLC's majority stake in Alliance Tire Group (ATG). The potential deal is said to be valued at around US$400 million.
A new report published by research and markets suggest that tyre demand is increasing in emerging markets. It points out that global automotive production has a direct impact on the demand for tyres and tyre cords in the OEM segment. Higher number of cars produced translates into increased use of tyre cords in tyre production and vice versa. Therefore disruptions in vehicle production tend to distort opportunities in the market.
Retreaders – whether small or large, industrial scale operations – can use the best processes, machinery and materials, but if the used casing isn’t good, then the finished retread won’t be any good either. The failure of a retreaded tyre when fitted to a customer’s vehicle is a worst case scenario for retreaders. Therefore, experts such as Stefan Dengler recommend that efforts be made to ensure high-end and comprehensive casing entry control. Visually inspecting casings is of course beneficial, however the SDS Systemtechnik managing director notes that even the most experienced casing inspector cannot see within a tyre. The most important technical aid in this area is shearography, something that every retreader can and should invest in.
Since the company’s founding in 1953, Cima Impianti has specialised in the manufacture of retreading machinery and facilities. A particular focus has been vulcanisation presses and moulds for mould cure retreading; a specific product portfolio that Cima Impianti, with a touch of pride, refers to as the “most extensive in the industry.” Building upon this position, which the company has earned within the industry over a number of years, the Pistoia (near Florence, in Italy’s Tuscany region) based firm has pursued a new path over the past five years and invested heavily in developing machinery for OTR tyre retreading. Along with vulcanisation presses for the retreading of up to 63-inch tyres, Cima Impianti currently also supplies five-axis CNC buffing machines for giant tyres and extruders for OTR tyre retreading.
Italian firm Italmatic has been engaged in the manufacture of tyre retreading machinery since 1967. Today, the company operates two factories; its Cassina de’ Pecchi plant, just outside the city of Milan, produces inspection machines, buffers, builders, extruders, buffing blades, wheels, while the Capannori facility near Lucca specalises in autoclaves, presses and moulds. Italmatic says it is the only company capable of supplying machinery for the retreading of any kind of tyre and for any requirement from A to Z, through the supply of complete turnkey plants.
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